A/N I like to confuse people but (I still love that word) I should mention that Camilla is a reference to a remark Malcolm made earlier in the story (Diagon Alley to be exact). Camilla will be owling Malcolm on an irregular basis. In Malcolm's second year, I will also reveal her last name. (How exciting, I here you say.) I debated mentioning this, simply because I really do enjoy confusing people.
I apologize to nell for not having Francis blow anything up. I will try to amend that fault.
And to one reviewer who tried to correct me, a house elf is a servant and would not take time out, at a dinner party, to play with one of the guests. It was a house gnome, a domesticated cousin of the garden gnome. As to dinner, the conversation was boring, so I left it out. I assure you, Ariana, that they did eat, but since I wasn't invited I have no idea what was on the menu.
Chapter 13: The Wizard Weekly
[This has been a great vacation. I really missed being around my family. We got to go to a big party, and everyone acted nice to each other. It was great. Strange, but great. Ginny is still upset seeing Mom shave Dad's back, but Draco acts like one of the family now. He really fits in.]
"I told you to stop HITTING me," Reese said, as he hit Draco in the shoulder.
"I told YOU to stop hitting me," Draco said as he hit Reese in the shoulder.
"I told you to STOP hitting me," Reese said as he hit Draco in the shoulder.
"I TOLD you to stop hitting me," Draco said as he hit Reese in the shoulder.
[Do you see what I mean?]
"Good Morning," Malcolm said as Ginny walked into the kitchen. "You've got some mail." He handed her the package and she opened it.
"Has Draco seen this?" Ginny asked in horror.
"Seen what?" Malcolm asked.
Ginny showed him what was in the package: The latest edition of Wizard Weekly, (What Wizards in the world are doing this week). The cover picture was of Ginny and Draco under the mistletoe. They would look up. Ginny would giggle. They would gently kiss. Then they would both blush. The headline read, "Puppy Love in Full Bloom."
"That is one great picture," Malcolm said, "You'll be famous, now."
"Who'll be famous?" Draco asked as he walked in.
Ginny showed him the magazine, as Malcolm said, "I'm guessing that the other package is your copy."
"This is terrible," Draco said, "now father will be delighted."
[Okay. I'm lost on this one. I have to play the straight man on this.]
"Why is that a problem? If it was me, my mom would kill me?"
"Malcolm," Draco said, "it's not that simple. Father actually suggested that I try to seduce Ginny, as a way of breaking up the Weasley family. In case you noticed, we can't stand each other. The last thing I want is to try and get her to like me."
"Right," Malcolm said, "and why isn't Ginny upset at hearing this?"
"He told me about it when we were at Neville's house," Ginny said. "The one thing about Draco is that if he makes a promise, he keeps it, at least to me he has. But Draco doesn't have to worry. My parents will probably ground me until I graduate."
"Malcolm, you're smart, what do I do," Draco pleaded. "I don't want to hurt Ginny."
"Wait a minute, Draco," Malcolm said, "You just told me you don't like her. Why should you care if she gets hurt."
"Because she's a real person," Draco said angrily, "She isn't some one-dimensional clown like Potter or his sidekicks, and that makes a difference."
"That does it," Lois said, coming into the room. She grabbed the magazine and opened it. "Why don't we read the article and see how bad it is?"
LONGBOTTOM GALA DISPLAYS YOUNG LOVE.
Where we ever this young? For the first time in over a decade, the Longbottom Family opened their house for the holidays. Family and friends, old and new, gathered on Boxing Day to share the holiday spirit. The surprise guest of the evening was the Malfoy heir, Draco, 13, who escorted Ginny Weasley, 12, the youngest child of Arthur Weasley, of the Bureau of Muggle Artifacts.
It is known that the two families sit on opposite sides of the political fence, and that there are strong personal feelings on both sides. That these two should arrive together was a surprise, but only the first surprise. The second surprise was their behavior. Never had two young people behaved so properly. Both were polite, friendly and courteous to everyone. Ginny Weasley confided to this reporter that "Draco promised to be the perfect gentleman, and he kept his word." Draco did display the famous Malfoy pride, but it was all directed at the young girl he was with.
Friends were also surprised by their behavior. A classmate admitted that he did not expect the two of them "to last five minutes together." The young host, Neville Longbottom, did admit that this was not a sudden thing. He was aware of their relationship before the holidays began, and interceded with his Grandmother to have both of them invited.
The third surprise is the reaction of their parents, whom this reporter unknowingly informed. Lucius Malfoy was happy that his son had found someone. "My wife and I first dated at the same age, and I have to admit that her father did not like me, at first."
Arthur Weasley shared similar views. "I don't like the father, but I won't condemn the son for that. And I trust Ginny to make the right choices."
As for the two lovebirds, this may be the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship, or it may end up as a case of puppy love, and it will all be over by the time you read this. This one night, though, is a testament to the power of love, and I find myself asking, "Were we ever this young?"
Caption: Cover photo. Ginny and Draco under the mistletoe. Both later admitted it was not their first kiss.
Caption: The young couple dancing. Notice the ring on her finger. It was a Christmas gift, and Ginny tells us she "can't take it off." As this magazine goes to bed, she is still wearing it.
Caption: By the fireplace. The couple shares an intimate conversation as the evening winds down.
Caption: Unimpressed, this boy catches up on his sleep with a new friend.
"Look, Malcolm," Lois said, "Doesn't Dewey look cute with that little gnome curled up on his chest."
"Yeah, Mom," he admitted, then yelled out, "Hey, Dewey, Your picture's in a magazine. Check it out."
"Let me see," Dewey yelled, running into the now crowded kitchen. "This is great. Can I keep it? Thanks." He took the magazine and ran off.
[That was something. Dewey is the first one in the family to get his picture in the paper without a policeman standing next to him.]
"My parents know," Ginny said miserably, "They're going to kill me."
"No, they won't," Lois told her, "You'll just tell them the truth, that you were making the best of a bad situation, and they'll believe you."
"But there is a picture of me kissing Draco."
"True. And you were dumb enough to admit it wasn't the first time," Lois agreed, "But you'll live. I'd worry more about when you go back to school."
"You'll just have to break up," Malcolm said.
"Ginny, I told you he was smart," Draco said, "Malcolm, how do we do it?"
"I don't know. Have a fight in front of a bunch of people, and Ginny can give you back the ring."
"Malcolm, I can't even get the ring off. What do I do in the meantime?"
"We can figure something out on the train back to Hogwarts," Malcolm offered, "I'm going to say goodbye to Stevie before I leave."
"That's a great idea," Ginny said, "Can we come. We never thanked him properly for helping us out."
As the three left, Lois shook her head in laughter. Those two kids hated each other the way she hated Hal. She turned to Reese, who had been sitting quietly the entire time, and said, "You are now permitted to move."
"Are you three ready?" David Winter asked as he held out the portkey.
"That's a different portkey," Malcolm pointed out.
"Very good, Malcolm," Mr. Winter said, "a different portkey for a different destination. It's nice to know that you're learning something useful."
"Excuse me," asked Ginny, "if we're not going back to catch the Hogwarts Express, where are we going to."
"Ah, you've forgotten the time difference," Mr. Winter said. "I'm taking you directly to Hogsmeade station. The train is due to arrive in about twenty minutes." Four hands grabbed the portkey, and they were at the train station.
"Have fun," David Winter said, and vanished as he smiled for the first time.
"You did a great job, Malcolm," Draco said, "now we don't have a plan."
"What I don't understand," Malcolm said, as they walked back to the school, "Is why you didn't tell my folks about Reese. Even Francis would have helped, if you had asked."
"We did ask Francis," Ginny said, "It was his idea to go to that park and kiss each other. How were we to know that Pansy Parkinson would show up.?"
"How about from the owl she sent?" Malcolm asked, "Or didn't Francis give you the message?"
"Wait a minute," Draco said, "You and your brothers knew Pansy was coming by?" Awareness dawned as Malcolm's smile grew. "Your brother's set us up," Draco yelled.
"Good Morning, Malcolm," Madam Pomfrey said, as the boy woke up in the infirmary. "That was a bad fall you took, and right on your face. Don't worry about the swelling. We did that to help your teeth go back in properly. We also fixed that crooked one on the bottom row, and cleaned out your filling. Your teeth grew back without a problem.
"Dank yoo, Mammam Pomfwey," Malcolm said.
"Off to breakfast, Malcolm. You'll be fine by lunchtime."
She shook her head as the boy left. She would swear that Draco had hit him. There was a distinct impression of a serpent on Malcolm's chin, but Draco wasn't wearing a ring, and Malcolm claimed that he didn't remember what happened.
Draco waited for Ginny before entering the Great Hall for breakfast. They agreed to face the situation together, as the entire school was now gossiping about them. As they walked in, Pansy Parkinson walked up to Draco, and saved the day.
"I can't believe you are walking in here with that tramp," Pansy said to Draco, as everyone watched.
"I'm sorry," Ginny said angrily, "I didn't mean to steal your boyfriend."
Pansy laughed, saying, "Draco isn't my boyfriend, but he is a Slytherin, and we stick together. He has no reason to shame our house by showing up with trash like you."
"That's enough, Pansy," Draco said, losing his temper.
"Yes it is," Pansy yelled, with several Slytherins agreeing with her attitude. "Who told you to date someone like her, anyway."
Draco smiled inwardly, at that remark. His problem was solved when he answered, "Why don't you guess?"
Pansy paled as he said that. "Draco, I didn't think."
"It doesn't matter," Draco said, not too loudly. He smiled at the thought of people having to ask what he said. It would go over better. "Now that Ginny knows what I was doing, we no longer have a relationship." With complete sincerity he said, "Thank you, Pansy," and walked to the Slytherin table alone.
Pansy looked abashed as Ginny smiled at her. "Thank you, Pansy," Ginny said with equal sincerity, and walked to the Gryffindor table. As she sat down, everyone began asking questions. Ginny told them about how Draco tried to fool her, but since she was stuck with him, she made the best of it. Her favorite part was when they asked her why she was wearing the ring. She was forced to admit that it wouldn't come off. Draco, meanwhile, was talking about how close he came to fooling her completely.
Malcolm walked in, and Ginny stopped him to apologize.
"At's ohay," Malcolm said, through his swollen jaw. "Mammam Pomfwey says I be fine by wunch."
"Thank you, Malcolm," Ginny said smiling. She explained to him what had happened, adding, "I still want a little more revenge. Could you tell Draco something for me, and make sure Pansy Parkinson hears?"
"I' wuv to hewp," Malcolm said, and Ginny whispered what she wanted him to say. Malcolm walked over to the Slytherin table, and said loudly, "Dwaco, Ginny wanded me to dell yoo, she dinks yoo awe a weawy weawy gweat kissah."
[Why is evwyone waughing?]
Ginny smiled as Malcolm came in for lunch. "You wook better," she said.
"Thank you for telling me I sounded like Elmer Fudd," Malcolm said as he set down.
EJ, sitting close by, said, "Be vewy vewy quiet, Malcolm is tawking."
Malcolm gritted his teeth at the round of laughter.
"I do have a serious question," Ginny said after a while. "Hagrid has been complaining that Buckbeak hasn't been eating properly. I thought you might know what was up. I know you were sneaking food to him during your detentions, but now that you've stopped, the hippogryph is eating less."
"I don't know," Malcolm said, "I talked one of the house elves into bringing him muffins, but that shouldn't change anything."
After classes, the two made their way to the kitchens to confront the elf in question. As they entered, Dobby ran over and said, "Friend Malcolm, welcome back. Poor Dobby does not deserve friends like you."
"We wanted to ask you about Buckbeak," Malcolm said, "Have you been giving him muffins like I asked you?"
"Dobby has," Dobby answered, "one cranberry muffin every evening after dark. And Dobby has done more. He has given him one blueberry muffin as well, and one pumpkin seed muffin, he likes those too, and one raisin. . ."
"Dobby," Ginny interupted, "How many muffins are you giving him."
"Never more than eight, or twelve, friend of Malcolm," Dobby said, "and Buckbeak lets Dobby ride when he takes his evening exercise."
"That explains why he's not eating," Malcolm said as they left the kitchen. "He's already full."
"How does he fly about?" Ginny asked, "The hippogryph is tied up?"
"Actually I found a way around that," Malcolm said, "I put a charm on him, so he can remove the tethers himself, and put them back on."
"Malcolm, that's very clever of you, but why doesn't Buckbeak escape? He must know what's going on."
"He's too proud. He won't run away, even if the worst happens."
Ginny pondered this and asked if they could figure out a way to get the hippogryph to leave.
"I told Dumbledore what I did," Malcolm said. "He promised to work on the problem. We'll have to trust him to come up with something. He also told me not to tell anybody."
"Then I won't tell anyone either," Ginny promised.
"Ginny," Malcolm asked before they got back to the common room, "Do you like Draco?"
Ginny smiled and said, "I like hating him, if you can understand that. I like what he could be, but I hate what I think he will be. There's too much between us for us ever to be friends, but I know him too well, now, to despise him the way Ron does. He can still be an obnoxious person at times."
"That's true," Malcolm said with a laugh.
"Malcolm," Ginny asked, "when we were at the Longbottom's, Draco told me a few things, personal things. I hated him a lot for what happened last year, but I found out that he didn't really know anything about it until it was all over."
"About what?" Malcolm asked.
Ginny looked at him, and sighed, "I'll tell you later, in private. I only wanted to say that I'm confused about him. What should I do?"
"Ginny, I'm a year younger than you, and the opposite sex. Ask my mom or somebody like that."
"I already have," Ginny said, laughing wryly. "Tell me, Malcolm, why do you like Draco?"
Malcolm gave a wry smile, and said, "It's weird, because Draco always sticks up for me."
"Sticks up for you? How?"
"He tells people things about me. I don't know what, but they start to treat me differently. For example, Marcus Flint came up to me and said I was all right in his book. And he wasn't the only one. Draco is a lot like Reese."
"I'd agree with that," Ginny said, "but you make it sound like a good thing."
"In a way. My brothers and I were being punished last year, and Reese slipped and said he had to beat up kids at least twice a week for making fun of me."
"And why would they make fun of you, or shouldn't I ask."
"Because I'm smart, Ginny. I'm probably the smartest person in this school."
"You hide it very well."
"Thank You"
Ginny paused, and asked, "Malcolm, how smart are you?"
"I'm a wizard with numbers. Ask me any question that has to do with numbers and I can answer it. Either that or I could give you an example of my photographic memory." He added bitterly. "That's also popular."
Ginny looked at Malcolm and saw the same puppy dog look that Draco had. She hugged him and said, "I promise, We'll always be friends. But you have to promise me one thing?"
"What's that?" Malcolm asked.
"Don't tell Hermione about this," Ginny said. "She'll hate finding out she's number two."
The two laughed, and Ginny went up to her room to get ready for dinner. On a whim, she opened up the small box where she put the ring. Hermione had found a simple solution, and shrank her finger, so the ring fell off. Ginny would never wear the ring, but she wouldn't throw it away, either.
In his room in Slytherin, Draco made sure he was alone. He spelled open a chest, which held his most personal possessions. He put in his copy of the Wizard Weekly, and the picture of Ginny and her brothers. He then looked at the other items. The largest was a box of Building Blocks, the kind that little children play with. Each one was a different color, and showed a different animal. A third of the box was empty. There was a piece of straw from his first broom. There was his letter, announcing his acceptance to Hogwarts. The last thing in the box was a picture, taken near the end of last term. It showed a thin boy, eight years old, with closely cropped blond hair. The background could best be described as sterile. The boy stood unmoving, staring intently ahead. If you did not know better, you would swear it was an ordinary muggle photograph.